Today, we’re excited to have Steven Lopez as our guest host for Movements! Steven is a last-mile delivery pro currently working for a stealth mode startup. And he is an expert in expansion & growth in last-mile delivery. He has helped launch and managed delivery operations in the US. 

In the US we think in extreme terms when it comes to last-mile delivery. Whether it's a few bags of groceries, small parcel, or a big-screen TV, we dispatch vehicles with hundreds-of-horsepower engines. This practice has never really made sense.

Historically, cargo bikes were delivering in many niche markets and in wide use before cars and trucks cemented their death grip on urban traffic lanes.

The cargo bike industry has made a comeback and is growing rapidly due to several factors.

Here's why.

Many cities are establishing zero-emissions zones.

Cost of gas and diesel has risen rapidly.

Congested traffic means powerful expensive delivery vehicles are typically traveling at bike-speed or slower in dense areas.

The development of low-cost, lightweight electric motors for small vehicles dramatically boosts the freight delivery capacity of e-assist bikes.

Now is the time to right-size delivery vehicles.

Issue [#153] - Every week, we deliver analysis and curation of emerging mobility news - post a job listing here!

Micromobility

Right-Sizing Delivery Vehicles / Resilence

India’s Electric Vehicle Push Is Riding on Mopeds and Rickshaws / NY Times

The E-Bike Is Pure Joy / Outside

The E-bike Is a Monstrosity / The Atlantic

Drover AI’s Alex Nesic on using tech to regulate the scooter market / TechCrunch

Bird becomes first micromobility operator to join MaaS Alliance / ZAGDaily

“Our consumer data shows our customers want our brand to move into micromobility” / ZAGDaily

Lime launches pop-up micromobility community hub in London / Moove Electricity

Researchers train AI to predict EV battery degradation / The Next Web

Health staff get on their e-bike to see patients / BBC

The two-wheeled commute: Micromobility and your future / McKinsey

Manhattan needs this new bike lane / New York Daily News

Product Launches & Updates

Zugo Rhino review: A moped-inspired electric bike built for California-style cruising vibes / Electrek

Norwegian Bike Maker Buddy Bike Unveils The sX1 Commuter E-Bike /  InsideEVs

Sporty, elegant e-bike from Porsche in cooperation with ROTWILD / Porsche

Ridehailing, Carsharing & Delivery

Hackers caused a massive traffic jam in Moscow using a ride-hailing app / The Verge

Gig Workers Tire of Waiting for Action From Biden’s White House / NY Times

Uber Eats and Nuro sign a 10-year deal to do robot food delivery in California and Texas / The Verge

DoorDash Builds out Food Empire With New Grocery Delivery Partners / PYMNTS

Investment & Deals

Powering up! Dutch startup Lightyear drives in with €81 million to launch solar car this year / Tech.eu

Honda locks up additional EV battery minerals in new partnership with Hanwa / Electrek

Battle Motors Announces Series B Capital Raise of $150 Million / BusinessWire

Cities & Policy

California looks to spur e-bike adoption with new incentive program / Kpbs

'We don’t have enough' lithium globally to meet EV targets, mining CEO says / Yahoo! News

California EV owners asked to curb charging ahead of travel holiday / TechCrunch

New Products, Features, and Data Points

French crash test lab to test pedestrian scooter detection systems / ZAGDaily

When Driving, Tires Emit Pollution. And EVs Make the Problem Worse / Bloomberg

Jobs Board

Here’s a selection of job openings from our partners. Want to see your listing here? Click here for pricing/details.

Transportation Policy Analyst - California Public Utilities Commission - United States

Senior Transportation Policy Analyst - California Public Utilities Commission - United States

Senior Transportation Data Analyst - California Public Utilities Commission - United States

Chief of Staff - Pronto - San Francisco, USA

Product Lead - Lean - United States (Remote)

Technical Project Manager - Drover AI - Cincinnati Metropolitan Area (Hybrid)

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